


Dedication

by Angelwingsl3 (Marie_Fanwriter)



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Backstory, F/M, Feels, Mass Effect Big Bang 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 01:53:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14760356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marie_Fanwriter/pseuds/Angelwingsl3
Summary: Every word has a meaning. Over the years, what that word means to us can change. This is the story of how one such word developed into more. This is the story of how James and Ashley came together.





	Dedication

**Author's Note:**

  * For [I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins/gifts).



> Inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem of the same name, [**Dedication**](https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/dedication-5/), and the lovely EilonwyCousland's [**artpiece**](https://eilonwycousland.tumblr.com/post/174260833803/artwork-for-fiftyshadesofgreywarden-on-ao3-for-the).
> 
> Thank you to the wonderful typo checkers! Kate_Shepard and Potionsmaster. You two are the best.

\---

There had never been someone like Commander Shepard before.

Not in all his days had James ever met a person as strong, as loyal, as dedicated as the Commander had been. For years and years he watched on from the sidelines, the vid screens always alight with achievement and strife. He’d spectated with rapt interest; the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Even when he was awarded the chance to meet the illustrious Commander, he’d been in shock. Admiral, then Councillor, Anderson had been the man that made it possible and for that Vega would be thankful for the rest of his days. Because that was what led to the best years of his career and to the love of his life.

\---

There had never been someone quite comparable to Commander Shepard.

Not in all of her years could Ashley remember a person as willful, as wise, as dedicated as her Commander had been. Back when she’d been no more than a Corporal, she’d seen the news vids of Shepard saving Elysium from the Batarians and been enraptured. It wasn’t love, she felt. No. Ashley Williams was too bullheaded for love. It had been admiration, and through all her years after that, that feeling stuck with her.

When Commander Shepard had come barrelling in to save her on Eden Prime, she’d been in shock. Admiral, then Captain, Anderson had brought her onto his ship and made her part of the crew. She’d always be thankful to that man. Because that was the first step in what became with best years of her career and what lead her to the love of her life.

\---

James vividly remembered where he was the moment he found out Commander Shepard had died. He’d been on a promenade on the coast of California, on leave for a brief stint. The sun had been shining down, sweat poured off his brow as he looked out over the water. It had been nothing more than a whisper behind him. Yet that moment had solidified his next career move.

From Earth, James travelled throughout Alliance held space and gained the lead of his own squad eventually. The young Lieutenant had hoped to follow in the fallen Commander’s footsteps.

He failed.

His choices led him to the disaster on Fehl Prime. The loss of his team and nearly the end of his career. The only thing that kept him going was the impending arrival of the Reapers, Commander Shepard’s influence over him survived beyond their death. Vega forced himself to survive long enough to get the Collector data back to the Alliance.

Only to find out it wasn’t needed.

Shepard’s dedication had extended beyond the grave.

\---

Ashley vividly remembered Commander Shepard’s death. She’d been there, watching from the window of her escape pod as their body was thrown into the void. Brightness from the soon to be destroyed _Normandy_ and reflecting off of the ice planet Alchera had nearly blinded her at that moment. Her fists had banged against the durasteel door. Her shout was swallowed by vacuum. That moment had been one of the worst of her life, watching yet another friend perish right before her eyes. Yet it had solidified her resolve, she would not fail her Commander.

The _Normandy_ crew had been picked up by a salarian research frigate that caught their distress signal. From there, she’d travelled to the Citadel to tell her story to Alliance brass. They hadn’t listened, instead, they’d given her taskings to keep her busy.

They’d enforced a complete operations blackout on outside communications when she landed on Horizon. The Operations Chief was supposed to bolster defences for the colony against the Collector threat.

Only to find out she was the bait.

Shepard’s dedication had extended beyond the grave and she was saved.

\---

Over the course of six months, James Vega learned everything there was to know about Commander Shepard straight from the source. After Fehl Prime Anderson had assigned him to be the jailer to the Officer who’d single-handedly saved the Galaxy twice over. To the Officer who’d sacrificed everything for the cause.

It took him a long time to figure out why.

\---

Despite all of her misgivings with Shepard on Horizon, there was still a place on the _Normandy_ for her when the Reapers hit. It was purely by chance that the Lieutenant Commander had been in the right place at the right time.

It took her a long time to figure out why.

 

\---

When the Reapers hit it was both the best and worst day of James’ life.

It was the day he finally met the love of his life. He watched her and the Commander argue. He watched them fight side by side. He watched in abject horror as the Lieutenant Commander had been nearly killed by a Cerberus AI.

It had been terrifying.

\---

The day the Reapers hit, and those that followed were the best and worst of her life. They’d been filled with torment and pain, and yet there was still a silver lining. For those were the days that she’d met an arrogant young Lieutenant named James.

They’d also been the days that she’d argued with Shepard and learned how to put her misgivings aside for the greater good. They’d also been the days in which she’d nearly died at the hands of Cerberus.

Somehow, despite it all, it had been exhilarating.

\---

Weeks passed far too quickly in this war.

It wasn’t until Cerberus decided to try something yet again that he was reunited with _-the now-_ Spectre Williams again. He’d been ready to shoot her. He wasn’t in love just yet and the Commander’s word was law in the Lieutenant's mind. The relief he’d felt when Ashley dropped her weapon was palpable.

Later, when she’d rejoined the crew of the _Normandy_ , they would finally have a chance to meet in a setting where they could talk. Between Earth and Mars, the time had been too short and right now it seemed like the Lieutenant Commander could use the ear of a fellow marine. So he’d set off to find her, two bottles of beer in his hand.

When he’d found her she wasn’t at all what he’d expected. The brash Officer he’d met in the field was gone and the woman who replaced it was a soulful person, nose deep in a poetry book.

It was then that his opinion of dedication changed.

\---

Weeks turned into months so fast in this war, there was barely enough time to catch her breath.

Ashley had been made into a Spectre. She’d been betrayed by her Councillor and found herself on the wrong end of Commander Shepard’s gun. Her jaw still ached from how hard she’d clenched her teeth at staring down the barrel of those in Alliance colours. She was at faith’s mercy when she lowered her weapon.

Thankfully she’d been right in her decision.

When she’d rejoined the _Normandy_ , she found herself in a familiar place. It wasn’t the same ship as before, but the observation lounge still drew her in. For a long while, she stared out into the void before she was joined by another. A man she’d only met once before, in the flurry after Earth and before Mars.

A friendly ear and a beer were all he offered.

Perhaps it was then that her opinion of dedication started to change.

\---

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first time writing James and Ashley as the main characters. I hope they turned out alright!


End file.
